Pieces of the Sky
by Mearii
Summary: What's it like..." his icy words dripped with poison, "...to be less than a nobody?" // OC, Sora, Roxas // On Hiatus, kinda...
1. Prologue

(** prologue** - - - )

* * *

**A **small, frightened wail pierced the eerie solemnity of the otherwise pitch darkness.  
Suddenly, the room flooded with light as a door swung open and a tall, slender woman walked in, her ebony eyes sunken and weary from a long and stressful day.

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

A tiny child emerged into the light, his eyes glistening with fresh tears. He sniffed, wiping his nose on his pajama top that was about two sizes bigger than he was.

"Mommy… it's too dark… and I'm scared…" he whimpered, his lip trembling and his eyes growing bigger.

The older woman sighed, but kneeled on the floor and took the boy into her arms.

"It's alright, dear- it's okay," she cooed, "You don't need to be afraid of the darkness. Not anymore."

As her words didn't seem to settle the child in his fearful state, she sat down, placing the child into her lap.

"Do you know why we're afraid of the dark?" she asked the boy soothingly. He shook his head.  
"Because we're afraid of what's lurking inside of it."

The boy sniffled again. His body trembled, either from fear or the cold air that was coming in through the open door. His round eyes stared up at her, unblinking, trying to comprehend, but he was too young to understand.

"But nothing will hurt you," she continued, "Do you want to know why?"  
The child continued to stare, his eyes filled with yearning as he took in every word she said to him.

"A long, long time ago, before you were born… before even I was born… there was a boy…"  
As she paused, the child snuggled close to her, urging her to continue just for the comfort of her voice.  
"He was almost your age, but a few years older. He was small, and not as strong as other boys, but he had a pure heart, and eyes that were the color of the sky…"

"One night, when it was dark, he was faced with terrible monsters that took him away from his home and his family…"

Moments past as the mother told her child the legend many ears had heard before. About a boy, named after the sky, who had rid the world of the evil that lurked in the shadows. The young child lingered on every word his mother spoke. She described the countless adventures of the boy and his journey home: how he learned to conquer his fears and follow his heart, and overcome temptation and illusion on the search for his friends and the return to his own world.  
The listener was oddly silent; his eyes heavy with sleep, as he listened intently to the story about the brave boy. As he absorbed the tale he was being told, his heart fluttered with a newfound strength. He was on the verge of sleep now, as his mother reached the end of the story, and as she lay him back on his soft bed, she whispered something in his ear…

"Remember, my son… amongst the darkness, **there is always light**."

* * *

(** author notes** - - - ) _So I decided to completely rewrite my old fanfiction, Pieces of the Sky (POTS). I tried to simplify the plot so that I wouldn't write myself into a corner like I did previously. I hope everyone enjoys this new version! Don't be afraid to leave comments for me. _


	2. I: Wonderful Nightmares

(** 1**.** wonderful nightmares** - - - )

* * *

"_Taiyou…"_

A voice called from the empty blankness that clouded the young girl's vision. She cautiously looked down at her hands, shock gripping her heart as she realized that they were translucent.

"_Taiyou… why?"_

She looked up, but saw nothing but misty white surrounding her from every angle. She reached out in front of her, desperate to feel something, _anything_.

"I didn't mean to…" she began defensively.

"_Why?"_

"I didn't—" she started again, but choked on her words.

Her mind reeled, her heart raced, and her failed attempts at calling for help were drowned in the cold voices that seemed to come from nowhere:

"_Its all your fault this happened! You're worthless!"_

"_Traitor! Why did you do this? How could you…?"_

"_What were you thinking? You're so stupid! Idiot!"_

Strangely, the voices seemed familiar, as if people she had once loved had suddenly betrayed her. Or even worse, as if she had betrayed them.  
She cupped her hands over her ears in a futile endeavor to silence the resonating voices, but they only grew louder with each passing moment. She screamed: begging them to stop, but they continued to revile her with their gruesome accusations. When she finally felt like she could take no more, a sudden hush fell over the noise, and she was left with nothing once more.  
A terrible fear clutched at her heart, as chills ran up and along her body and she realized that she was completely, utterly alone. "I must be dreaming," she said, yearning to hear something in the empty void where she stood.

"That's it, I'm just dreaming. It's only—"

Her statement was cut off as a sharp pain spread throughout her body. She gagged; coughing up crimson blood that pooled around her feet like a puddle of rain. She looked down, and saw that a long blade shaped like a key had pierced her abdomen, as blood gushed from the wound and ran, sticky, down her legs. She gasped, grabbing the handle that protruded from her stomach. She tried to pull it out, but strength drained from her body like sand in her hands. Her legs had lost all feeling, and she dropped to her knees. Her eyes glazed over as she gasped desperately for breath, her hands covered in her own blood. As she breathed her last, she suddenly felt light-headed, and her world was plunged into darkness.

(--**x**--)

_Ring-ring, riiingg._ The phone rang, startling Taiyou into waking. She sat up immediately, breathing heavy. Her mind raced, and she clutched her stomach, suddenly realizing that she was merely having a nightmare. Reality began to sink in.  
The phone rang again, and Taiyou leaned over her bed to grab the phone that was resting on a nearby table. She put it to her ear, "Hello?" she said.

"Happy BIRTHDAY!" a rather obnoxious greeting responded.  
Taiyou sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, hooray," she said monotonously.  
"Oh, come on! You're _fifteen _now!" her friend replied, "Cheer up! You're getting older! More independent!  
"Whatever," she retorted, not interested.  
"Okay, then. We'll have to do something extra special to get you in the mood! Meetcha by the old mansion in ten minutes?"  
"Whatever," Taiyou repeated, and hung up the phone.

After brushing the tangles from her light brown hair, and changing into some decent clothing, Taiyou bid a quick farewell to her parents, promising to be home by sunset. She set off down the cobblestone road until she came upon the train station that Twilight Town was so famous for. She took a train to the other side of the town, where she proceeded to wander down the red cobblestone path until she found a giant, gaping hole hidden behind an old department store.  
The hole opened into a small wood, where lush, green trees stood waiting for her. No wind disturbed their branches. The eerie, inanimate forest sent shivers up her spine. Ignoring the hair prickling on the back of her neck, Taiyou wove her way through the trees, picking up her pace the deeper she ventured into them. It wasn't long until she was running, eager to see sunshine again, for the dense trees now blocked it out and a foreboding darkness hung in the air.  
At last, light! Taiyou slowed down to a halt, just before reaching a giant, iron gate that stood between her and a tall mansion. It was a house of incredible size, yet its beauty had long since vanished. The roof was crumbled in places, all of the windows smashed, and thick moss crawled up its walls.

The brunette fiddled with her fingers as she waited for her friend to show up. She began to contemplate why they always meet each other here- they have never even been inside. She shrugged, dismissing the thought, guessing that they were both just naturally drawn to this place. It was ancient and elaborate: who wouldn't be interested in it, right? As she pondered, she failed to notice her friend approaching.  
"Hi," she said. When she received no answer from her spacey friend, she prodded her hard in the ribcage.

"_Ow!"_ Taiyou retorted sharply, "What the hell was that for?"  
"Umm… _hi," _the girl repeated.  
"Hi, Chantsi. Sorry, I… must have been daydreaming."  
"I'll say. Well, maybe I _won't_ give you my super-special-wondrous-surprise present, then."

Taiyou perked up at this. "No, no! Gimmie! What is it?" she smiled.  
Chantelle's lips parted, revealing a smile as wide as the sky itself. She opened up the leather pack she had carried with her and took out a small cardboard box.  
"Open it!" she exclaimed, shoving the box into Taiyou's curious hands. Taiyou carefully unwrapped the box, opened it, and chuckled at what she saw. She took out her present: a small, chocolate cake covered in pink icing with the words 'Happy Birthday Taiyou!' written into the frosting. She looked up at her friend, her eyes shining.  
"I love it. It's perfect, Chantsi. Thank you so much."

"Well, you're very welcome!" Chantsi replied, equally as pleased.  
"You want a piece?"  
"Sure! Look- I even brought some plates. See how prepared I am?"

Taiyou laughed at her friend's enthusiasm, and the two girls sat under a maple tree, chatting and gossiping, enjoying their last days of summer. It wouldn't be long before school started again, and all the pressures of homework and peers would once again settle on their shoulders.  
As they finished eating, Chantelle looked over at the old, abandoned mansion.  
"Say, Taiyou…" she said, her eyes glittering with an idea.

"Hrmm?" Taiyou replied, her mouth full of cake.  
"How many times have we been here, by this old house? And yet we have no clue what's inside of it."  
Taiyou gulped down the last of her cake. "No," she replied firmly, predicting what her friend was going to suggest.  
"Why not?"  
"Well, for one: Its scary! We don't know what the heck's in there, waiting for us."  
"What, like ghosts?" Chantsi mocked.  
"No… like rats or something. And it's so decrepit, it would probably fall down on us while we're in there."  
Chantsi let out a whine, "Oh c'mon, don't be so scared."  
"I'm not scared. I just don't wanna go in."  
"You're scared- admit it."  
"I am _not."  
_"Are _too."  
_Taiyou sighed in frustration. "I am not, and I'll prove it. We'll go in- but just for, like, five minutes, before the ceiling caves in. And you can go first."  
"Okay, then. Let's go!"

Before Taiyou could utter an excuse to stall, Chantsi had began to climb over the gate.  
Taiyou rolled her eyes at the pure naïve nature of her friend, but followed behind in close pursuit. As they walked towards the large wooden doors, the journey seemed endless. It was as if the faster they walked, the farther away it seemed. Finally, they reached the mansion, and looked up at the incredible, intricate doors that towered over them.

"Should we knock?"  
"Um, I'm not sure anyone would answer, Chantsi."  
"Haha… right."  
"Go ahead, then. Go on in."

Chantsi looked at her friend, and Taiyou could've sworn that she saw a flicker of fear flash in her stone-gray eyes. She hesitated, looking as if she was about to make an excuse to turn back, but her eyebrows narrowed in determination, and she pushed open one of the doors with a long, loud creaking noise that made them both cringe.  
As soon as Chantsi vanished into the murky darkness inside, Taiyou immediately regretted their coming here. There was an uneasiness that clung to the air: she could feel it chill her bones. With each passing second, her restlessness increased. Was it fear holding her back, or foreboding? When it seemed as though hours had passed, Taiyou hesitantly entered.  
She was surrounded by immediate darkness, and for a few minutes couldn't see anything in front of her. Eventually her eyes grew used to the black, but she stayed close to the exit anyway.

"Chantsi?" she called, voice quivering.  
"Over here!" her friend seemed undaunted by the haunting quiet.  
"Where?"  
"Here! Follow my voice! There's nothing in here: don't worry so much."

Taiyou did as told, moving forward cautiously, stepping over fallen pieces of wood and marble, now covered in a thick layer of dust. At times when Taiyou felt she didn't know where to go, she called out to her friend, who would respond: like a game of marco-polo. Taiyou couldn't believe how large the room was, and as she stumbled over the mess scattered over the floor, she couldn't help but wonder how they were going to get out. Eventually she felt Chantelle's warm hands against hers.

"Well, finally. How big do you think this place is?"  
"I dunno. Huge: probably twice the size of mine. Now c'mere, I wanna show you something…"

The girls held hands as Taiyou followed her friend who-knows-where, feeling much like a blind bat in a dark cave. There was a point when Chantsi had let go- if only for a second, and Taiyou stopped dead in her tracks. The brunette reached out, but in vain, for where there once was the warmth of life next to her, there was now cold, still air.

"…Chantsi?" Taiyou called out, but her only reply was silence.  
She began to step forward, her mind strangely calm with the sudden absence of her friend. She stopped again.

"…Chantelle?"

Her senses were more aware than usual, adrenaline starting to pump through her veins. Her heartbeat grew louder and louder until it pounded into her ears as if someone was beating a drum right beside her. Her hands shook as a sudden dread took over her body.  
With her sight limited, Taiyou depended on her ears to find her way. She kept alert for the sound of footsteps- particularly those of Chantsi. Soon, she heard something behind her. She turned around, but saw nothing. She reached out her hand, but felt nothing. _Maybe I'm hearing things now…_ she thought, and continued forward.  
Then, she heard it again. Quiet voices: whispers from behind her. She couldn't make out any words they were saying, but she could tell that they were coated with poison. They weren't familiar voices, which meant that she and Chantsi were not the only ones in the room anymore.  
Without a second thought, Taiyou ran. It seemed as if time itself had stopped, and she was running in slow motion. She found stairs and climbed them quickly, her legs shrieking in resistance with every step she took. Wherever she went, the voices were always right behind her, whispering in their hush but sinister tones.  
Panicking, Taiyou managed to trip over her large, ungainly and exhausted feet. She tumbled down, but as she was expecting to collide with the floor, she did not. She continued to fall, as though she had jumped from an airplane a hundred feet from the air. There was no longer floor beneath her. As she fell, she contemplated how any of this had happened. She felt sheer apprehension as she recalled how Chantsi had disappeared: how one second she was there, and the next she was gone. Her heart felt as cold as ice, and all she could do at that moment was blame herself.

_It's all my fault._

At that thought, she hit the ground. The wind was knocked from her, along with her consciousness. All she could feel was the throbbing pain: the sensation that all her bones had broken. Then, there was nothing but darkness.

* * *

( **author notes** - - - ) _Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Pieces of the Sky. The plot should go a little differently than before... Anywayyy, if you did like reading, please leave a review: it would mean a lot to me! Thanks!  
Chapter two will hopefully be up soon!_


	3. II: Wings of Stone

(** 2. wings of stone**­ - - ) 

* * *

Taiyou looked in the mirror with disgust. A girl looked back at her, with blue eyes as round and pale as the moon. She had light brown hair, messy and tangled, as if she had just gotten out of bed. Her clothes didn't fit: instead they hung loose, dangling from her body. Her mouth hung in a pout and her lips, although pink and full, were chapped and dry. Puffy, dark circles shadowed her sad eyes.

"Why aren't I beautiful?"

As the words left her throat, the image in the mirror began to ripple and twist, distorting much like a tossed stone disturbs the placid waters of a still lake. The image in the mirror faded, and Taiyou found nothing staring back at her but a vacancy of silver glass.  
Prompt but hesitant, Taiyou reached a hand up to the mirror and lightly placed it on the glass. At once the surface began to ripple, as a sensation of cold ice crawled up her arm. Taiyou recoiled immediately in shock, tearing her hand away. However, curiosity bested her, and this time she extended both of her hands and placed them upon the mirror. As the silver, liquid-like surface parted at her touch, she felt herself being pulled toward the mirror. Her hands began to sink in, as if it were quicksand slowly enveloping her fingers.  
Without thinking, Taiyou pushed against the glass and felt the sudden, cold feeling take over her entire body. She closed her eyes, pressing her lips tightly together. She felt as though she was trying to push a stone underwater, but as soon as she came to realize what had happened, she felt pain tear through her body as it collided with the floor.  
As soon as her eyes flew open, Taiyou knew that she was in a different place. The entire room was white: the floors, the walls, and the ceiling painted in a dull and somber shade of the bleached color. A set of chairs was neatly placed around a rather long, white table. A bowl of flowers sat atop the table in a failed attempt in decoration, even those lacking any hue or color. The mirror was gone.

"But there's nothing in here…"

Taiyou knew no one would answer. She knew that she was the only one in that room. Nevertheless, she felt an odd presence, as if she had been here before…  
Looking for an exit, Taiyou found that the walls were decorated in a little girl's drawings. Colored doodles upon white paper were tacked upon the wall. Taiyou noted one that had especially piqued her interest, and she inquisitively removed it from the wall so she could get a better look at it.  
Two strangely shaped scribbles indicated that there were two human beings in the picture: one with long, blood red hair, and the other with hair of a blond color. Both were garbed in some sort of black robe, and two other robed figures stood behind them at a distance. The two figures appeared to be holding hands, as if they were friends.  
Studying the picture even closer, Taiyou couldn't help but think that she had seen these boys once before. It was as if it was a memory stored deep in the back of her mind, but as she tried harder to grasp it, the farther away it seemed. When she finally gave up the hope of trying to clutch it, a million voices erupted from nowhere, filling all of her senses with a deafening volume that increased with her every heartbeat.  
There were too many voices at once, making it hard for Taiyou to distinguish one from the other. And although she cringed, she didn't let go of the sketch in front of her. The longer she gazed at it, the louder some of the voices grew. At one point, she was able to make out some of the words being said, as they resounded louder than all the others did…

"_What's gonna happen to me now? Just tell me that. Nothing else really matters anymore."_

The owner of those words was a young boy, and although she couldn't see his face, Taiyou could tell he felt lost, worthless, and riddled with confusion: almost exactly as she felt now.

"_At last, the Keyblade's chosen one."  
__**"**__Who are you talking to? Me… or Sora?"  
__**"**__To half of Sora, of course. You reside in darkness. What I need is someone who can move about the realm of light and destroy Organization XIII."_

"_Why? Who are you?"_

Suddenly, the paper in front of her burst into flames. The embers licked at the parchment, spreading slowly towards her fingers as it engulfed the entire drawing with its hungry claws. Taiyou felt no heat of the fire; her body and eyes unmoving as she watched the paper slowly incinerate in her hands. It curled over as its remains faded into an achromatic black before turning to dust, leaving her fingertips stained with the charcoal color.  
Now with nothing to hold, and the dissonance still buzzing about her ears, Taiyou put her head in her hands and fell to her knees. She wondered how much longer she could endure the deafening noise before the last of her sanity slipped away.  
Who knows if it was minutes or hours that she knelt there before her head began to feel lighter, and the voices evanesced into nothing more than mere whispers. Before long, her own world had plunged into darkness once more.

"_You're... fading away?"_

One voice spoke louder than the other hushed whispers, and as she hung on the end of consciousness, a new feeling overtook Taiyou's feeble mind. One that she hadn't experienced since she had entered this strange place: familiarity. But as soon as it came, it had left her.  
Then, two more voices spoke, not to her, but to each other, one of which belonged to the young and confused boy from before:

"_Let's meet again, in the next life."  
__**"**__Yeah, I'll be waiting."_

* * *

( **author notes** - - - ) _Sorry this chapter is so short. It was sitting on my computer for a long time while I decided if I should end it as it was or continue with it, and it took me so long to decide I finally went ahead and uploaded it. If you enjoy reading, please write a review! I would greatly appreciate it. _


End file.
